


I called them my boys

by sherlocksmind



Category: John Lennon - Fandom, Paul McCartney - Fandom, The Beatles, The Beatles (Band), The Quarrymen - Fandom
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2020-05-16 00:31:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19307002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlocksmind/pseuds/sherlocksmind
Summary: She knew them when they where just the Quarrymen, She knew them before they were famous She had known Paul longer than John but no one knows who she is because of the press and The Beatles publicity agents ability to make her disappear from there side





	1. Chapter 1

Alone on the curb in front of a record store sat an anxious girl waiting for her friend Paul McCartney who was coming back from camp. 

She twisted her curly black hair around her finger, her rings occasionally got caught in the pieces of hair. People stared at her as they walked past, Madison was used to it by now, though she didn’t understand why people where in her business. She knew the reason they stared at her was because of her lack of femininity, she wore skinny jeans that hugged every curve on her body and she wore “boy shoes” which was just Converse. She liked they way she looked and didn’t give a damn about anything else.

“Paule!” Madison yelled as she saw a tall boy walk across the street with a smartness in his walk.

The boy stopped and looked at Madison before he quickly turned and started running in the other direction.

“What are you playing at?” She whispered to herself as she stood up and began to chase the boy who she presumed to be her friend Paul McCartney. She followed him deep into the back streets of Liverpool at one point She thought about turning back because maybe it wasn’t Paul who she was chasing, her stubbornness got the better of her and she continued to run in the boys direction. Somewhere along the line the boy disappeared leaving her to only guess where he was.

“Oi Paul!? What a prick.” She started to sprint to see if could somehow catch up to Paul. A bump came from an ally that she had just jogged by, there had been many accounts of people getting jumped along these streets and Madison wasn't taking any chances. She began to sprint faster in the hope that she could out run whatever it was that made the noise.

“Maddie!” a tired voice came from far behind her. “Slow down!” The voice sounded like Paul, She turned her head just enough to see Paul stumbling down the street trying his hardest to keep up.

Madison stopped running and waited for him with her hands on my hips. “What the bloody hell was that.” She said when Paul finally stumbled up to her, he was hunched over with his hands on his knees and his ribs expanding in and out. 

“Don’t say ‘bloody hell’ it sounds weird.” He exaggerated bloody hell with an America accent.

“Oh ‘shat ap’.” Madison said back in a Liverpool accent.

Madison was an American she had moved to Liverpool about two years ago because her family became the owners of her late grandfather's book shop. She she to admit she was excited to be leaving her hometown, it was the type of town that was so small and so isolated that if you thought about it too hard you would begin to suffocate. 

Paul paused and looked up at Madison peering through his thick eyelashes “It’s been a long couple of months.” 

She looked up over him and said with a less than convincing voice “has it been that long? I hardly noticed.” As soon as she looked down at Paul she was met with the sight of his shoulder hitting her stomach which brought her crashing to the ground. Madison started slapping him on the arms and torso in an attempt to get him off of her. “What a bastard! That doesn’t count!” She stopped struggling and he got up off of her. 

“It does count.”

“Fine but that was a dirty win.” Madison said as She put her finger in his face.

Paul slapped her hand and sniffed himself “I took a shower before I came down here.”

She looked at him trying to keep her straightest face possible but failed.

“How was the first concert?” Because Paul had planned his family trip to scout camp he missed the first official Quarrymen concert.

“It was hot a sweaty, John still can’t remember my name.” She said with a chuckle 

“He’ll get it, I was on my way to see the boys do you want to come?”

Madison hooked her arm over Paul’s shoulder “Of Course.” She looked at Paul and he looked at her “I’m glad you’re back.” Paul smiled and squeezed her side.

~~~~

“Look who it is lads PAUL MCCHARMLY!”

“Oh bugger off John.” Paul said laughing as he shoved John.

“Hello…” John tried his hardest to remember Madisons name “curly?...”

Madison looked at John in disappointment towards the fact that he gave her a sad pet name based off of her obvious black curly hair “Is that the best you got?” 

John’s eyes shot open wide as he registered my America accent “When did you turn into an American?”

“Since she was born in America mate.” Paul patted John on the shoulder and went to pick up his guitar.

Before they began to play John spoke into the mic “Lads how about we get something to eat after this?” The whole band agreed “Curly? What do you say?”

Madison looked up at John with a smile “Of course teddy boy.” John laughed and began to count in the band.

Madison kept my eyes on Paul the whole rehearsal the performance he gives when he bobs up and down to the beat is hypnotizing. Every now and then Madison would look around to see John looking at her as if he was trying to figure her out trying to figure out her thoughts and emotions. She allowed him to try and figure her out while she went back to watching Paul.

After rehearsal, they went to a chips shop and sat in a circular booth Madison sat between John and Paul and the rest of the boys sat around the shop with their girlfriends.

“Curly,”

“Madison.” She corrected John 

“Madison, how do you know Paul?”

“We have been best friends for as long as I can remember.”

Paul looked at me and started to laugh 

“Ok I lied, I moved here from America and about two years ago, my parents inherited my grandpa’sbookshopit’salongstoryIdon’tcareformostofit, ANYWAYS, I got a job working at the record store.”

“Wait you work at the record shop?!?” John asked

“Yes I do and I know you very well John Lennon.”

Paul looked at her in surprise Madison sighed “He’s the one who constantly steals from us.”

“I don’t steal from you, I do one sided business with you.”

“Ya ok, any ways I met Paul when he was buying a rock album.”

“Yeah, and now I can’t get rid of her.”

“Oi!” Madison said as she punched Paul’s arm he covered it with his hand and then laughed.

“Ok you two calm down or I’m gonna turn this booth around.” John lit a cigarette and got up from the booth. 

“God I want one so bad.”

“Well I think there’s only one John Lennon left so get it while supplies last.” 

“Not that you idiot! I mean a fag.”

“Watch your language America.” Paul said as he dangled a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. He handed Madison one and lit her as well.

“So,” Madison took a big drag of the cigarette and spoke out the smoke. “What do you reckon teddy boy thinks of me?”

“I think he’s mad that you don’t want him, and I think he’s going to try his hardest to get you to like him.”

“Ok well I’ll look forward to seeing that.” Madison chuckled and took a drag. Paul and her sat in silence for a little while until Madison caught a glimpse of the clock. “Oh shit.” She said as She gathered all things, patted Paul’s face and told everyone goodbye.


	2. She came in through the bedroom window

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suggested abuse

Madison ran down the poorly lit streets to her house, her curfew ended about 30 minutes ago but if she could sneak in she would be able to convince her parents that they missed her walking in. 

She looked up at her window ledge, Paul was usually there to help her up the ledge but she was on her own. Madison grabbed hold of the gutter that ran on the side of her house and climbed it. Her window was always left unlocked but Paul was usually the one pushing it open so Madison was going to have a lot of trouble gracefully accomplishing her mission. Madison placed her foot on the narrow ledge of her window and pulled the window up her foot slipped sending her heart into a panic as she nearly fell off. The window opened with a loud swipe and Madison came tumbling into her room knocking everything that was on her desk off. Madison was stuck upside down with her back against her desk when her parents opened the door and turned on the lights.

“Hi, mom and dad… so, what brings you to my humble abode?” Madison tried her hardest to make her parents not so mad at her but their faces told her she failed.

“Where were you Madison?” Her father said as he paced up and down the living room with his hands on his hips. 

“I was-“ Madison tried to decide if she should lie she decided against it when her father smashed his hand against the table demanding her to tell him. “I was with Paul!” Madison screamed from the fear that her father would hurt her.

“That’s it Madison you’re grounded I will drive you to the record shop and then I will drive you home when your shift is over.”

“You can’t do that I’ll miss Paul’s first-“ Madison froze she had said too much.

Madison’s mom knew all about Paul she knew that he liked to be a teddy boy but he wasn’t really, she knew that Paul was joining a band but her dad did not.

“His first what? Hum?” Her dad’s mustache shook with anger as he repositioned his glasses. “Is he a rock and roll wanna be? A teddy boy? Hum? You know what I think of those boys, to hell with them and whomever is involved with them.” 

Madison’s father stood there for a while, staring into her soul she felt like she was going to break like she was going to cry. “Go up to your room.” Madison stood and got out of there as fast as she could up the stairs and into her room to cry.

Paul was due to make his first performance as one of the Quarrymen that weekend. Madison wouldn’t have missed it for the world but now that the devil was breathing down her neck and she was too scared to rebell.

For the next two days Madison was on total lockdown her father would drive her to work wait around to make sure that she would stay there then he’d go to the book shop. He would wait outside for her and then he would take her home, she was to eat dinner once they got home and then she would be sent to her room.

Madison had thought that Paul would notice her absence on the first day and come looking for her but it wasn’t until the third day he finally showed up at the shop.

“Aye oh!” Paul exclaimed as he waltz into the record shop clearly excited and proud that he found Madison.

“Shh, Paul get over here.” Madison said gesturing over to her counter, when Paul had reached the counter he was pulled over it by Madison. Madison put up her ‘on break’ sign as she crouched behind her counter holding Paul’s coller. “What the hell took you so long to find me?” 

“Public transport, the bus doesn’t pick me up-..” Madison cut Paul of by putting a hand over his mouth Paul reacted immediately by licking her hand. “Ew it tastes like shit records!” 

“Oh fuck off Paul.” Madison said as she hit him.

“It took me a while to figure out when your dad would be gone, what the hell made him put you on lockdown?”

“I was late and… you.”

“Me? What did I do!?!?”

“No no, it's not like that, you didn’t ‘do’ anything it’s just ah forget it, the main concern of mine is that I will miss you first concert. Paul you need to get me out of this by tomorrow.”

“Me?” Paul squeaked then began to laugh. “It’s ok I already thought about it, I’ll see you here tomorrow.” Paul tapped the side of his head with his finger then jumped back over the counter and ran out of the shop.

Madison was so anxious the whole night she could hardly get through dinner with her father she felt like he was looking at her sole as she ate then excused herself. Madison didn’t sleep partly because she was about to do the worst thing possible, disobey her dad, and partly because she was so excited for the concert. 

When Madison did fall asleep she dreamt about Paul and John becoming more famous than Jesus. The dream soon turned into a nightmare when she became unable to move and she got left behind swallowed by the crowd of screaming fans. 

Madison woke to herself being suffocated in her blanket, she unwrapped herself and pulled open the curtains, letting the sunlight flood in. Madison went about her usual routine of getting ready for work the only thing she changed was the fact that she stashed away her camera in her purse. 

Madison was dropped off at the store, as usual her dad waited at the front for ten minutes then drove off as soon as her dad was gone Paul appeared as if on cue he strutted into the shop with his uniform Quarrymen leather jacket on. His boots clopped as he made his way to Madison grabbed her and her purse then began to run out the back door of the shop.

Madison wasn’t expecting this at all she imagined that Paul would have John steal a truck and then they would rob a bank and go to the concert. She was preparing for the craziest get away eve not just Paul grabbing her and her purse and trying to outrun her.

As soon as they were at least five blocks from the record shop Paul began to slow down and come to a complete stop. Paul was panting so hard that Madison thought he was about the breath out a lung. Madison hit him on the shoulder Paul flinched then immediately returned the punch, Madison did the same, they altered back and forth hitting each other on the shoulder until Paul finally ended with a “Ow fuck off!”

“That was your big fucking plain?”

“I know magnificent right?”

“No you bloody idiot!”

“Maddie, that was the grossest thing I've ever heard, you bloody american.”

Madison rolled her eyes and began to walk down the street.

“Here’s your handbag.” Paul said has he handed Madison’s purple handbag to her.

Madison took it and walked over to a storm pipe she took her camera out and her money she took her empty purse and crouching down she shoved it up the pipe. She stood back up and acted like nothing happened. Paul was looking at her with his eyes wide open and one eyebrow higher than the other. 

“What?” Madison said as she threw her hands up.

“Why the hell did you do that?”

“I fucking hate purses, they slow me down, and how can I be a badass if I am carrying around a purple purse?”

Paul laughed went up to Madison and grab her camera “I’d wear your purple purse.” Paul chuckled then said “You never told me you have a camera.” He pointed it up at Madison and took a picture. When he brought the camera down he had a smile on his face. 

“Paule, we are on the run.” Madison said as a matter of fact trying to remind Paul that they needed to go wherever it was that they were going to go.

“No this is Hanover street I think run street is the next block down.” Paul looked at Madison and shook his head at the horrible joke that he just said “I’m gonna sneak you into my house, I need to get my skinny jeans.” 

“Your what?” Madison said laughing at the thought of Paul wearing skinny jeans. 

“My skinny jeans. Shut up!” Paul punched her, flipped his collar and started walking to his house.

Before Madison started walking with him she took a picture of Paul.

When they got to Paul’s house Paul snuck Madison to the back and to a pipe that went up the side of his house exactly how the one at her house did. “Stay here” Paul said as he began to take hold of the metal pipe and climb.

“Are your parents home?” Paul looked up towards the open window “no my dad’s at work and my mom is… out. Besides I should be at school so they don’t think I’d come home.”

Madison forgot that it was the middle of the school year she hadn’t been to school since she moved to Europe two years ago. Her parents pulled her out because they said as long as they had the book shop then they had money. Madison didn’t want to work in a book shop all her life so she decided that she would work in the record shop until her parents needed her.

“I’ve got them, here!” Paul threw his pants out of the window and climbed down the pipe. 

“Where is your guitar?”

“Don’t worry about it I’ve got it which way is the New Clubmoor Hall?” Paul said as he slipped a cigarette in his mouth and slung his jeans over his shoulder then began to walk in the direction of the club despite asking where it was.

When the two got to the club Paul showed Madison where the band was backstage and left to go change. As soon as Paul left John walked over to her and began a conversation. 

“Hey curly, where’s Paul?” 

“Well teddy, he went to the back to change where is your girl?”

“Curly, there is one thing you should know about me.”

“That is?”

“I’m available.”

“Congratulations. I’m gonna go see where Paul went.”

“Is that a camera?” John said as he pointed down at the camera to keep Madison from leaving.

“Yep, why is everyone so excited about my camera.” Madison said as she handed it over to John.

“Have you heard curly? We ain’t got no money.” John said as he put the camera to his face and took a picture of the room. 

Madison went off to the stage and watched the other band set up. It had been thirty minutes since she had seen Paul and Madison started to worry. She got up and began to ask if anyone had seen him, by this time people had started to walk into the venue. The Quarrymen where on in eight minutes and Paul still hadn’t been found at some point he left the toilets and disappear Madison began to panic, it was show time and she was still in the back looking for Paul. She heard the start of the opening number but more specifically she heard Paul. Madison ran out to the stage wing as she saw Paul’s figure peek out from behind the curtains she sighed in relief. When it came time for Paul’s solo in the bands version of Arthur Smith's 1946 instrumental hit Guitar Boogie Paul’s face started to twist into a kind of face Madison had only seen when he was late home his natural pink cheeks became more flushed than usual his eyebrows raised and his hands began to shake. Paul completely missed it, his solo which Madison had seen him play over and over in rehearsal without a problem was suddenly missing. The band ended the set and went off stage. 

When Paul got off he immediately lit a cigarette and went outside, Madison ran after him. 

“Paul! Paul?” She found Paul with his back pressed against the brick wall of the club he was looking up at the stairs blowing smoke into the air. 

“What the hell am I doing here Maddie?”

“What?” Madison said with a chuckle. “You’re here with your band.” She walked over to Paul and sat down. “Paul McCartney doesn’t doubt himself.”

“Messed that solo up, my fingers got sticky and everyone was looking at me and I blew it!” Paul huffed and sat down by Madison.

“Oh, Paule Paul Paul.”

Paul looked over at Madison in disgust towards the fact that she tried to make his name into something cute. 

“You just got stage fright and messed up this is your first show don’t worry about it.”

As Madison finished that sentence John Lennon came bursting out of the club yelling as he threw a beer bottle into the parking lot.

Because of the abuse Madison got from her dad she would always become blind with fright anytime anyone became hostile. Paul knew this so he stepped in front of Madison so she couldn’t see John until he stormed towards the two. 

“Have you seen this bollocks? He put good and bad on our card! Obviously we were going to mess up because it’s your first time! Oh and don’t worry about the solo we need another guitar player anyways.” John slid the card into his back pocket and asked if Paul had a smoke. Paul handed John a smoke and John went inside, Paul’s mouth hung open wide.

“Sherly that doesn’t mean he’s going to replace you, he can’t replace you.” Madison turned Paul around to see him still dumb founded tword the thought that he might get replaced. “I’ll go ask you stay here.”

Madison found John at the bar drinking up a storm she swallowed down her fright and walked up to John. “John?” 

“Hum?” John said as he looked over at her with half lidded eyes.

“Paul thinks you’re going to replace him, you wouldn’t do that… would you?” 

John sat up in exaggerated shock his mouth hung open and his eyebrows slid up “You’re gonna get rid of Paul?” 

Madison didn’t know what to say so she stood there in disbelief that someone could get so drunk so fast.

John straightened up and started to laugh, “you really thought I was drunk? What poor sod gets that drunk that quickly?” John turned around, ordered two more beers and walked back out to Paul with three beers in his hands. 

Paul had sat down on the curb still puffing anxiously on his fag. 

“Oi! McChermly!” Paul turned towards John and Madison “Catch!” John tossed one of the beers at Paul and handed another to Madison. “You’re so thick McCharmly I would be an idiot if I replaced you.” John said as he sat next to Paul and looked down at his already open beer. 

“I told you Paul.” Madison said and she sat next to Paul leaning into him to gently push him.

Paul twisted the cap of his beer opening it and handing it to Madison while taking the one she had for her and opened it for him.

“You know you two are like an old married couple.” John said as he watched Paul sip his beer.

“How do you mean?” Madison asked as she turned her body more towards Paul and John.

“Well, he takes care of you like it’s his life’s purpose, no matter what it’s always curly first. Are you guys going steady?” John asked with a hint of offense in his voice.

Madison grinned as she sat back and drank her beer.

“Prick” Paul mumble to John and John began to laugh.

Once they all finished up their beers Paul and Madison said bye to John and begin to walk home.

Maddie wasn’t sure where she was going to go or what she was going to do she had run away from her father, there was no way that she was going to make it out unharmed. Maddie must have been giving away her thoughts because Paul bumped her on her shoulder.

“Maddie, don’t worry I’ll go home with you maybe he won’t yell at you in front of guests.”

“Naw, hell just have two people to yell at.”

“Bloody hell at least I could wear him out, you know evenly split his tantrum.” Paul nudged Maddie and Maddie chuckled.

Maddie stopped in front of Paul’s house. “Can your parents adopt me?”

“I don’t think my dad can handle two teddy’s.”

“What about your mom? I thought you said you still live with both parents.”

“She…” Paul shifted as if he was trying to keep his image of not letting anything affect him; “she’s dead.”

Maddie’s eyebrows pinched.

“It’s nothing it happened long enough ago.” Maddie immediately took the hint that he wanted the conversation to be dropped fast.

“Well your dad can still adopt me;” Maddie said looking up at the house “but alas, I’m too expensive for you.” Maddie said as she patted Paul’s face with a grin, she hoped that he would see that as her comforting him. Maddie then turned and began to walk down the street to her death.

She wrote in her diary that night:

The devil has taken his head  
From the liquor it’s sead   
Though my body aches as I am sent to bed  
I wouldn’t ever wish that the devil was dead


	3. It’s getting better all the time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violence  
> abuse

It had been two weeks since Madison has seen Paul, she didn’t feel abandoned by him because they both knew that if he were to show up anywhere near her he would get caught. Because Paul could go nowhere near her that meant that she would have to get herself to the next concert on her own. 

Madison had been watching a boy that had been walking around the store for longer than usual, the only person she ever saw do this was John Lennon. The boy had a typical teddy boy look to him he was wearing a leather jacket black shirt and skinny jeans just like Paul’s, his hair was pushed back like Elvis and he had a hard walk. 

Madison half expected the boy to run as a customer came up to the counter and said her name forcing her to look at them. The boy turned to her as soon as he heard her name and waited in line as the costumer checked out, he was fumbling a piece of paper in his hand which he then slapped down on the counter for Madison to read. It was in Paul’s hand wringing, it said “This is George, follow him.” As soon as Madison had put the paper in her pocket the George began to leave. Madison followed him not caring if her station was unmanned she thought sneaking out would be so much easier if she got fired.

“Hey wait up!” Madison yelled as she ran towards the boy. “How old are you?”

The boy looked at Madison and frowned “14.” He said and continued walking

“Oh… so-” Madison was cut off by George.

“Are you Paul’s girl?”

Madison stopped in shock and answered “fuck no! He’s my best friend!” She ran to catch up with George who was smiling at the fact that Madison didn’t get it.

“What?” Madison asked George didn’t say a word until they got the the club and he only spoke just to tell her where Paul was.

Madison saw John before Paul he was sitting on a couch with his guitar in his lap and girls surrounding him. Madison went up to John and did the very thing that she knew would put him off she swiped her hand over John’s guitar strings. 

When John looked up at Madison his mouth was opened in disbelief towards that fact that Madison just did that. Madison couldn’t help but smile then she reached down and did it once more. As soon as Madison saw John began to move quickly towards her she ran in the other direction.

John chased a laughing Madison through the whole building she couldn’t stop laughing at John who was cursing behind her. Madison found Paul and grabbed his shoulders putting him between her and John.

“Oi!” Paul yelped as he was pulled by Madison “What the hell is going on?” Paul said laughing.

“Curly strummed my guitar strings!” John said pointing his finger as he huffed air in and out of his lungs for dear life “For christ sakes, you can run curly.” 

Paul chuckled “Tell me about it.”

“I’m gonna get you for that curly!” John said as he caught his breath and went back to where he was sitting.

“Long time no see old friend.” Paul said as he turned around and hugged Maddie. Maddie wrapped her arms around Paul and then pushed him away smiling.

“Who the hell was that kid?” Maddie asked as Paul led her to the sitting area where John was.

“Oh a friend he wouldn’t come to our concert but I needed a favor so I got you and him to come!” 

“Wow, you’re a crafty little bugger, aren't you.” Maddie said in her best Liverpool accent.

“Shut ap!” 

When the boys went on Madison went into the crowd and looked for George. She found George in the back gazing at John in total and complete awe.

Madison leaned over to George and began to talk “I’ve heard this is your first time you have seen them, what do you think?”

“Would ya’ look at the lead, his style is cool!”

Madison looked forward and chuckled “For this place ya, all the teddy boys around here are either drooling over his looks or getting ready to prove themselves by jumping him.” Madison turned back to George only to see him completely dazed by the band. She chuckled and went to get a beer. After the set was done Paul, Madison and John sat behind the club drinking a beer each and heading their separate ways when they were done. Paul walked Maddie to his house, said his goodbyes and Maddie went on her way giving herself a pep talk as she walked down the street getting herself ready for the drunken rage of her dad.

This routine carried on constantly for the next two concerts sneak out, talk a bit, watch the boys play with George, have a beer at the back of the venue, walk Paul home and go home to the devil. Her dad messed her up without fail ever single time but Maddie would never think of missing a concert and she thought that her dad would catch on to this but yet she still gets beaten black and blue.

George began to notice the bruises and by the fourth time they went to a concert he brought with him a cold slab of meat. When George handed it to Madison she wanted to cry not out of joy or sadness just out of pure exhaustion and self pity. George and Madison talked a lot on their walks, George talked about his guitar and his family and Madison would tell him about her work and records. 

By the fifth time Madison abandoned her counter, enough was enough for her supervisor, as soon as Madison walked back into work the next morning she was called into the back office and was fired. 

Madison’s heart sank in her chest she had thought that it would be easier if she was fired from her job but what she hadn’t realized is that she would miss it. Madison walked out of the office completely lost as to what to do next, she needed to wait for George but it usually took him about five hours to get her. Madison sat on the side of the record store and took a nap. 

Maddie had put her body through so much over the past three months she just needed some time. When she woke she had slept for four hours, she sat alone on the sidewalk in an alleyway. Her life had finally been going the way she always wanted it to, along with a bit of hiccups along the way but never mind those, so why did she feel so small and vulnerable at this very moment. Madison’s eyes begin to fill with tears which she tried her hardest to keep in but it just wasn’t going to work. She just let everything all out all the pain and the memories fuling her anger and sadness. 

George had come early today he walked past the alleyway to the front of the store and then appeared back around again. “Madison?”

Madison looked up wiping her tears she stood up and straightened out her clothes and then began to walk towards tonight’s venue. George asked if she was alright the whole way there, Madison wouldn’t answer. As soon and the club came into view Madison began to run, she needed to see Paul, she needed to hold someone. She came crashing through the back door she frantically searched for Paul but she found John first, he was talking to Stuart Sutcliffe and some girls, Madison went up to John with tears already streaming down her face and asked him in a shaky voice where Paul was, John pointed towards the stage where they usually put the guitars and Madison ran off, John followed behind her worryingly because he had never seen her the vulnerable.

When Maddie finally found Paul she threw herself into his arms and began to cry.

“Hey hey, Maddie? What’s happened?” Paul tried to get Maddie to look at him but she wouldn’t budge. “John, what’s happened?” John looked at him with a worried look and shook his head. Paul has known Maddie as the strong type he never saw her show any emotion other than joy and he certainly had never seen her cry. John bent down to comfort her as well. 

“Here go to him let me put my guitar up” paul said as he passed her off. 

John had absolutely no idea what to do he had a teddy boy image he was hard and unforgiving he wasn’t supposed to show emotion especially sense he was a Liverpool boy. Maddie was taught the same way John had been, don’t wear your heart on your sleeve, so she began to straighten herself up in fear of throwing away her teddy image. 

She straightened up, John and Paul were still concerned but knew they had no time to dive into what just happened Paul and John brought Maddie into a huddle, they stood there for a little bit until Maddie’s breathing began to steady. The boys left her to go perform and Maddie went off to find George. Once she found him she grabbed hold of his shoulder and didn’t let him go he grabbed onto her waist, the two of them swayed to the songs and at the end of the concert Madison said goodbye to George assured him she was ok and went to the back.

“What the bloody hell happened Maddie?” Paul asked as he pushed through the backstage door John trailed behind him with six beers this time. Everyone settled down against the brick wall and began to break open beers. Maddie downed the first one before she even spoke.

“I lost my job boys, I walked into the store today and was fired Immediately. I can’t tell my dad because everything will be so much worse then what it is. I just don’t know what to do anymore I have nowhere to go.” Maddie began to chugged another beer as Paul and John looked at each other. 

“You mean you get dropped at the record shop and you don’t need to be there all day?” Paul asked. Maddie shook her head yes. “That’s brilliant!” Paul said wiggling with excitement “That means you could just hang out with us when we play.”

“You two have school you idiots.”

“School?” John chuckled as he threw his finished beer bottle into the parking lot. 

“You think we still go to school? We sneak out every day Maddie.” Paul chuckled.

A wave of relief flowed over Maddie as she leaned her head against the wall. Maddie then remembered George. “What about George?”

“George?” John had never met or seen George.

“Oh, well I don’t know actually.” Paul said as he finished his first beer.

“Can’t he play? You should show him to John.” Madison said, implying that he could be the lead guitarist that they had been looking for.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on. What are you two talking about?” 

Maddie knew that John hated when her and Paul went off talking on their own so she decided to let him in. “I’ve got a guitarist for you.”

John laughed and threw his last bottle in to the parking lot and went inside waving them off with a “Doubt it.”

Maddie and Paul came up with a plan to get John and George to meet and decided that they would bring George to John on the bus that John takes back to his house they would have George play for him there. 

Maddie said her goodbyes to Paul and began to walk down the street to hell. 

For some reason Madison’s dad was extra drunk tonight she came home to him already screaming at her mother, she walked in right when he raised his hand to her mom.

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Maddie yelled, she always thought of herself as the barrier that kept her mom under protection. But she always came home before her dad could get to her.

“What the fuck did you say!?” Her dad slurred, his words coated in anger, he turned in Madison’s direction with his fists balled.

“You can fuck with me all you like but you don’t touch her!” Madison planted her feet on the ground her mother gave her a look that was filled with something that was more than fear.

“I do what ever the fuck I like!” Madison’s dad walked towards her and sucker punched her.

Madison of course tried her hardest to fight back but she only managed to get a single punch in. Her mother had already escaped to Madison’s room, the only room with a lock on it, Madison was just happy that her mother got away.

By the time it was over blood was pouring out of Madison’s lip and her right eye had already swollen shut.

“Go to your fucking room.” Her dad’s voice thundered as he chucked a beer bottle at her which then broke on the wall she was cowering against. She stood up and dragged her feet up the stairs she quickly went to the bathroom to retrieve a medical kit and went to her room. Her mom had the door open for her already and as soon as Madison walked in she shut the door quickly behind her and locked it. Madison fell into her mother’s arms they both knew that it was more so Madison comforting her mom then the other way around.

The next day Madison’s father had not come out of his room at all which meant her mother would have to drive her to ‘work’. Obviously Madison had told her mom that she was fired and that she had been constantly sneaking out, she told her that she would hang out at Paul’s house and that everything would be alright. Madison’s mother looked sad when she looked at Madison’s face; Madison’s eye had swollen shut, she had a gash on her eyebrow and the top of her lip was busted Madison’s fists were bruised but that was all that was noticeable. Madison smiles as she hopped out of the car and began to walk to Paul’s house. 

Madison snuck around the back of Paul’s house and to his window she began throwing pebbles to get his attention. She figured that Paul would be in by now and she was right when the window opened as she threw another pebble at it.

“Ow! Curly! Use the pipe for Christ sake!” 

Maddie laughed and began to climb the pipe once she got in Paul and John were already sitting with their guitars on their legs.

“Ooo nice room.” Maddie said as she adjusted her clothes at the window. 

Paul was the first to look up, then John Maddie could have sworn that she saw their hearts become lodged in their throats. John was the first to speak, “Did some of the rocks come down on you face?” Maddie had never told John about her dad, she didn’t think to but she imagined Now was as good of time as any.“No, no it’s my dad but I'm fine and dandy.”

John’s mouth fell open Maddie looked over to Paul she wanted to finally see someone without an expression of pity plastered on their face, all she saw On Paul’s face was rage. Maddie hated these situations where it was up to her to break the ice.

“Play me a song.” Maddie said smiling as she made herself comfortable on Paul’s bed she hoped that they would take her response as an ‘Im fine do don’t talk about it’. When the boys finally snapped out of their gazes and began to play Maddie was laying back on the bead. She stared up at the ceiling as a rock song filled the air. This was as good as it was going to get for a long time and Maddie knew it, but she didn’t let it get her down she just laid down and listened.


	4. Those who can call her Maddie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want to cram so much into this story I sometimes get to lost in detail

When Paul’s dad came home the three of them snuck out the window and went around to the front door.

“Dad me and my mates are heading out!” Paul yelled into the house he closed the door and began to walk down the street John and Madison followed behind.

“Why do you wear skinny jeans curly?” John asked.

“Because I’m too active to wear skirts, I had friends in America who wore pants it wasn’t that uncommon.” 

“America aye, are all girls like you in America?” John asked as he lit a cigarette and dangled it between his lips.

“That depends;” Madison said pulling a cigarette out of John’s top pocket where he kept his stash. “What am I like?” Madison gesturing to John for a lite. 

“Oh you know-“ John was cut off by a big sigh from Paul. 

“John, if you don’t mind I’d prefer you to keep your pants on.” 

“No I don’t mind.” John said as he winked at Madison and then began to walk faster up to Paul. 

“Hey Paul, where are we going?” Madison wasn’t familiar with the street that Paul had turned down, she had memorized every street in Liverpool it was the first thing she did when she got to Liverpool.

“John’s mom’s house.” 

Madison had seen John’s mom at every single show, she would always be dancing around with a drink in her hand and a cigarette in her mouth. Her free spirit was captivating to Madison whenever Madison saw her through the crowd her eyes always stuck to her. 

When the three of them got to the steps of the front door John stopped and turned to Madison. “Just a heads up my mom could be a little overwhelming for some people so if you get overwhelmed just tell Paul and he’ll take you out.” Madison could tell that John loved his mother very much, so much that he would do anything to get people to like her.

“John, look at my face…” Madison pointed to her swollen eye “does it look like your mom is going to scare me?”

“She won’t if you can’t see her.” John said as he pushed the door open and called for his mom. Two kids came from around a corner screaming and laughing at John and Paul; John let out a playful growl and began to chance one of the girls, while the other one began to beat up Paul.

John brought the girl who he was chasing back to the front door draped over his shoulder he turned so that his back was to Madison and the girl was looking at her and he said “Julia, jackie this is my pal curly.”

“Hi’a curly!” The two girls said simultaneously.

“Hello? John?” a voice came from up the stairs.

Madison looked up to see a woman with red hair and a red flowery dress her face lit up as soon as she saw John.

“John!” She ran to him with her arms open wide bringing him into a hug. She gasped in excitement “You brought Paul.” She pulled Paul into the hug and swung the two of them back and forth. John pulled himself out of the hug, his hair was ruffled and sticking in all sorts of directions. 

Madison laughed which made John do a look that said ‘wait for what’s coming for you’ he fixed his hair and stood up straight with a big smile. “Mum this is my friend curly.” 

John’s mom turned to Madison and went in for a hug. The hug hurt Madison like hell, because of the beating from last night, so much so Madison could help but let out a grunt. John’s mom let go of her as soon as she heard the sound. She brought Madison’s face up to where she could see her.

“Oh shit!” Hearing another adult cuss caught Madison off guard she didn’t expect someone that looked so elegant to cuss so openly.

“Who did this to you baby?” ‘Baby’ caught her off guard as well no one had ever called her that before, Madison’s dad wouldn’t allow her mom to call her loving names. 

Before Madison could think of a reason not to tell her who beat her up, she was being pulled into the kitchen and sat in a chair where John’s mom gave her some ice and painkillers. 

“This is Julia by the way.” Paul appeared leaning on the door frame of the kitchen with a smile and one of the little girls pulling on his arm. 

“Oh, yes, sorry I’m Julia.” Julia said as she did a small wave and began to pull out a med-kit “I’ve got her Paul you can go.” 

Paul looked at Maddie who then nodded him off, then he was dragged out side to John and the other girl.

“I’m Madison.” Madison said as Julia began to put a bandage on her split eyebrow. 

“An American?” 

“Yep.” 

“God who did this to you? Do I need to send the boys after them?”

Madison chuckled .

“Maddie,” Julia pressed.

Madison doesn’t let anyone but Paul call her Maddie, she doesn’t want anyone who isn’t close to her to call her that and the people close to her are limited to Paul McCartney and John Lennon. 

“Maddie, who did this to you?” 

And Julia Lennon.

“My father.” Madison said as she looked at the ground. 

“Oh god…” Madison could tell that Julia had no clue what to do about it. “Does your mom know?”

“Yes.”

“Do the boys know?”

“Yes.”

“Then I expect them to do something about it.” 

“You’ve got a beautiful family.” Madison changed the subject, she could practically feel Julia’s helplessness and didn’t agree that she should feel guilty about something that is happening to a stranger.

“You should see the main attraction, my husband is a real looker.” Julia slapped Madison’s knee and chuckled.

“Does he look like John?” Madison smiled.

“Oh dear, that’s not John’s dad.”

“Oh, I get it.”

“I don’t think you do.”

“Tell me then.” 

Julia sighed “I suppose I haven’t told anyone other that John and John probably told Paul. God your hair is so beautiful, can I do your hair?”

“Sure but I want to hear the story.”

“Deal.”

Madison had a friend exactly like Julia, her name was Mary, Madison could only describe her as someone who swam against the current. She would listen to Elvis and wear skinny jeans she made Madison into what she is today, a teddy.

By the time Julia had finished with Madison’s hair the the two were in the living room Julia was sitting on the couch and Madison was sitting on the floor between her legs. Julia had braided Madison’s hair back and put in flowers.

Once Julia had finished Madison began to watch Paul outside the window, him and John were playing airplanes with the girls. The boys would pick the girls up and run around until they would get tired and fall as if the airplane had crashed.

Madison chuckled, Julia must have noticed her staring at them because she asked; “which one?”

Madison was straddled “Which one what? What are you talking about?”

Julia chuckled “Which one are you looking at?” 

“All of them I suppose.” Madison answered back hoping that Julia would believe her.

“Don’t try to get past me I saw you looking.”

Madison gave in “You’re good, Paul but I wouldn’t get with him in a million years we complement each other too well to just throw it away over a stupid relationship.”

“I’m not so sure about that maybe you are just right for each other, but you’ll never know.”

Paul notice the girls looking at him through the window he smiled and began to wave only to be cut off by John tackling him to the ground. Madison and Julia laughed as Paul and John wrestled on the grass.

“I suppose you better go stop them,” Julia said “those are your boys.”

Maddie stood up and stretched “God help me if they are.” Madison smiled and then walked outside.

The three of them left Julia’s at one in the morning long after they had intended to. As they headed out Julia kissed each one of then on the top of their heads and patted their backs out the door. John was the last to leave the house staying behind just to talk one on one with Julia.

As Paul and Maddie waited outside they took the time to catch up with each other, “What did you and Julia do all day?”

“She did my hair.”

“Yeah I see, I like it, I love the flowers.”

“And she told me about John’s past.” 

Paul’s eyes widened, “She told you about what happened! What did you say to her when she was done?”

“I- I don’t know. I think I didn’t say anything she just moved the conversation on.”

“Do you blame her?”

“It’s not my place to say although I do think it’s a bit fucked up to make a seven year old kid decide. What does John say about it?”

“Ask him.” Paul gestured towards the house, John was just coming out of the front door. “Hey John!” Paul shouted as he was being slapped by Madison.

“No Paul you bastard!” Madison was not sure that John would ever discuss something as personal as his past with a random american.

“Yeah?” John was looking down at a cigarette that he was lighting.

“Maddie wants to know your view on what your mom did to you.”

Madison felt like Paul was pushing her close to the edge of a cliff while she tries to push back because she is scared of heights. Madison scattered trying to find some words that she could put together to make what Paul just said false. “I- I don’t think-“ 

John had looked up with the most terrifying glare that Madison had ever seen from John. She was ready for John start yelling at her or for John to tackle her to the ground. She was so scared. 

John just stood up and began to laugh as well as Paul, Madison was so confused she didn’t understand anything that was going on. “What? Did I miss something?” Madison’s face went red as Paul and John put their hands on their knees to stop them from toppling over.

John gathering what wits he had left and chuckled out “I told you that I would get you back for my guitar. We saw you and mum talking through the window and figured she was telling you the story.”

“What a prick!” Madison charged at John and brought him crashing onto the pavement, she hopped up and stood over a very surprised John.

“Where the fuck did that come form?” John asked as he was helped up by Madison.

“Paul and I have been doing it to each other for years.”

“Bloody hell.” John dusted himself off and lit a fresh cigarette from his pocket.

~~~

Madison and Paul decided to walk John to his house, “So this is the infamous Mimi’s house?” Madison said looking at the fancy house, it was a very clean middle class home it was light gray with black wood and white frames. 

“Yeah it is her house and she is as up tight as you were told so keep it down will ya?” John began to change his physique he put on his glasses and pushed his hair down. “Ok, how do I look Paul?”

“Like an idiot.”

“Good, bye curly, bye McCharmly see you tomorrow.” John then winked and walked into his house.

Paul and Maddie went on their usual routine after that, they walked to Paul’s house said their goodbyes and then Maddie went to her house to try and sneak in.


	5. George Harrison

By the time that The Quarryman were due to play another concert again Madison’s eye hand been reduced to only a black eye and the splits in her face began to scar. Madison was glad that by the time that she had to see George her injuries weren’t as horrific. 

George had ran up to Madison, waiting by the record shop, his guitar was slung over his shoulder bouncing back and forth with his every step. He was shouting an Elvis song at the top of his lungs when he reached the sidewalk that Madison was on he swung his guitar to the front of him and began to play the song that he was yelling at the top of his lungs. Madison could stop laughing she mused George’s playing by dancing along, and when George ended the song she clapped. 

“I guess you’re excited about today.” Madison began to walk towards the club that The Quarryman where going to perform that evening. 

“What are you talking about I always scream Elvis song from the other side of the road.” George protested quite poorly to Madison’s claim as he lit a cigarette and gave Madison one as well. “So give me some tips on Lennon, what’s the bastard like?”

“Oh, Lennon;” Madison took a long drag of her cigarette “he’s a kitten. If he thinks he could get a hold of your wits he’ll use it to scare you, he’s desperately clever with his words, as all the lads from Liverpool are, and he despises dim people.”

George scuffed “Well it’s a good thing he’s a kitten or I wouldn’t be able to cope.” He winked and adjusted his guitar on his shoulder.

“Go on, give us another one.” Madison tossed out her cigarette bud she sucked in the cool air and shoved her hands into her pockets.

“I don’t have anymore.”

“No, I meant a song.”

George shook his head and began to play a rock n’ roll song.

Madison found it odd to have George follow her through the backstage door, she usually left him in the front somewhere. Madison looked back just in time to see George pop his collar causing her to smirk. She always felt that George hated being as young as he was, only just turning fifteen, Madison figured the reason why he never asked to go backstage with her was because he didn’t want to be called a baby.

“Okay, stay with me, even I’ve gotten lost in here, sometimes on accident.” Madison nudged George.

“What the hell are you talking about American?” George kept extremely close to Madison so close he would step on her shoes every now and then, the two found Paul in one of the back rooms and began to discuss the plan.

“God George I always got to be babysitting you.” Paul sighed as they finished up going over the plain.

“Oi! Paul I’ve always got to be doing your dirty work.” George nudged Paul and lit a cigarette.

“Don’t call her that! She’s got a name you know.” 

“Hey! Paul you’re walking on thin ice.” Madison said pointing at Paul with one hand and occupying her other with a cigarette. “Don’t think that I can’t knock you on your ass.” She said smirking.

“Can’t dear I’m the beauty of the group.” 

“Not when I join mate.” George stood up chuckled and motioned for him and Madison to go to the front for the start of the show.

While Madison and George were at the bar buying drinks, to put on stage for the boys, Julie came up behind Madison and started a conversation.

“Are you old enough for that?” Julia popped up behind the two making them jump.

“For god sakes Julia!” Madison scrambled to catch the glass that slipped out of her hand.

“Who’s this Maddie?” Julia said as she placed a hand on George’s shoulder.

“This is mine and Paul’s friend.” Madison wove through the crowd to the stage and placed glasses by the microphones.

As soon as all of the glasses where set down Julia shook George’s hand and began to strike up small talk until the band started to play. George and Madison slipped back to their usual spot leaving Julia to dance. 

—————

Once the set was over Madison grabbed George’s hand brought him backstage to get his guitar and waited outside for Paul and John. As usual, Paul came outside as soon as he changed out of his sweaty clothes and John followed with three beers in his hands about a couple of minutes later.

“Who’s this little boy curly?” John said as he handed two beers to Paul and opened one for himself.

“I’m your new guitar player old man.”

“Did I say that? I don’t remember that. Welp,” John said as he sat on the curb and leaned back as he took a swig; “let’s see if I’ve got a good one, give us a song little boy.” 

George swung his guitar to his chest, he settled his fingers against the frets and began to play the Elvis song that he played for Madison. John leaned over and whispered “shit he’s good.” Into Madison’s ear. When George was done with the song he smirked he waited to see what John was gonna say.

“Well I guess were babysitting.” John pushed himself off of the sidewalk threw his empty bottle into the parking lot and walked back inside. 

“I’m in?” George’s face was a mixture of confusion and excitement.

“You’re in.” Paul said smirking as he downed the rest of his drink.

George wanted to stay cool around Paul, it would have been ‘unQuarry men like’ if he hadn’t kept his cool, so he chuckled and said “cool.” 

That night when Paul and Maddie where walking home Maddie couldn’t help but skip along side Paul.

“Stop that what are you doing?” Paul side eyed Maddie as her head bounced above his shoulders.

“I’m skipping!” Maddie said with a chuckle. 

“Oh, right.” And Paul began to skip as well.

Maddie then grabbed Paul’s hand and began swinging it. “I’m gonna be girly for a second Paul get ready because it’s gonna be crazy!” 

Paul took his fingers and put one in each year, then Maddie squilled and began to stomp her feet “This is it, I can feel it Paul! You’re going to be famous I just know it!” Maddie let go of Paul’s hand and ran out in front of him screaming “Paul’s gonna be famous!” 

Paul caught up with Maddie and tackled her to the ground he covered her mouth with his hand and yelled “shut up! People are asleep they know me down this street.”

Maddie licked Paul’s hand which caused him to pull his hand away. Maddie than whispered “Paul’s gonna be famous.” And did a little wiggle dance as she poked Paul’s chest. 

“I have never met anyone like you before you know.” Paul got up and gave Maddie a helping hand up Maddie took his hand but didn’t expect that he would keep holding her hand.

“Everyone always says that, what am I like?”

Paul looked at her and studied her face for two seconds “You’re like and idiot.” Maddie slapped Paul’s shoulder and Paul let go of her hand to run ahead and prance around singing “I’m gonna be famous!”

The very next day Paul George and Madison all met up to go to practice. Madison was so excited that George was in the group she knew how much he loved to play. He would tell her some new rock and roll fact every time he picked her up from the record store. And he would go on and on about making his own band.

When they entered the building they were assaulted by John’s voice on stage “Oi McCharmly you can’t keep bringing more of your girlfriends in here.”

Madison looked at John with the most unamused face she could pull and said “Toss off lemmon!” Then stuck her middle finger up at him. John squinted form the stage and said in an overly exaggerated American accent “No, you fuck off curly!” And stuck up two fingers to her in old British fashion. John slid his glasses off to clean them and gave Madison a big smile, once he put his glasses back on she returned the smile.

“Ok little boy give us a song,to impress the lads.” John drew attention quickly to George as he walked on stage with his guitar in hand. George sighed realizing that he hadn’t officially gotten in the band he had just been approved by John. He began to play the same song that he had played for John, George jumped when the drummer began to play a rhythm soon the whole band was playing along with him and John was walking around on stage singing and dancing like Elvis. Once the song finished the band looked at each other and at the same time said “He’s in.”

John smirked and said “Ok ladies, let’s stop playing around and get to work. Paul, do the new one.” John reset his position and waited to hear Paul began. Paul played a small guitar solo then John came in with one loud strum and began to sing “In spite of all the danger, in spite of all maybe.” John turned to the band and said “Join in whenever.” And then began singing again but this time he looked Madison in her eyes as if the song belonged to her “I’ll do anything for you anything you want me too if you’ll be true to me.” John’s eyes became less intense as if he was saying this part is just to fill the space but his gaze became concentrated once more as he sang “I’ll look after you like I’ve never done before, I’ll keep all the others from knocking at your door.” Madison couldn’t help but look at John’s eyes, she allowed him to consume her with his gaze as his lyrics wrapped around her brain. The whole band had joined in at this moment but Madison didn’t take notice she was too busy listening and watching John. 

When the song finished John snapped out of the gaze which caused Madison to do the same. 

“What do we think boys?” John turned to the band.

“You wrote that?” The drummer asked.

“Me and Paul, ya.” 

“Hum, it’s not shit.” The drummer stat back and smirked. 

For the rest of the practice the band went through the song over and over as John walked to each person and told them exactly what he wanted. John would get frustrated easily, if a band member couldn’t do what John asked them to do he would stand over them until they got it right. John was very particular about his music, if someone got too frustrated and walked out they would be replaced automatically, until they came back. Madison knew that no matter how mad John got he would never turn his back on his friends.

~

The first time George performed with the Quarrymen everything seemed to click the music was clean and the rock was very much there. It was the first time ever Madison had gone to the dance floor with Julia and it was the first time she danced like no one was watching. She felt like this was where she belonged, in the midst of the sweaty bodies that devoted their lives to rock n’ roll, in the Presence of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and in the loving mind of Julia Lennon. Madison would fight with everything she had to keep it that way.

But sadly like anything life changes.


	6. When I’m 64

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madison Can run faster than The Quarrymen
> 
> Madison and Paul sleep at Paul’s house

Madison has gotten a job at a recording studio, it actually was someone’s living room but Madison thought recording studio sounded better, The Quarrymen had been wanting to record for a while but never had the money for it.

One night after a concert they all had gotten drunk and convinced Madison to get a job at the recording studio in town so they could have a discount. They were put in for a spot on the 12 of July 1958 the morning of the recording Madison had woken up with the biggest smile on her face, she bounced around as she got dressed she ran out the door as she shoved her camera in her coat pocket and ran down the street. 

She was convinced this was the start of it, this was the start of the Quarrymen movement they were going to be famous and there wasn’t a single doubt in her mind.

She waited anxiously at the door hoping that she would see the whole band appear on the road and sure enough, after three minutes of waiting, the whole band came up to the house.

“Hey curly!” John shouted from down the street with a cigarette dangling from his lips.

“You here to play us some shit music Lemmon?” 

John jogged over to her and blew his smoke into her face “The shittiest.” 

“Hey!” Paul came pushing through the crowd and smacked John’s arm. “It’s gonna be the music of the Gods.”

Madison smiled and opened the door “right this way Quarrymen.” 

When Madison had finally herded all the boys into the recording booth she left to set up the microphone. A man came into the booth wearing a suit he had on sunglasses and was smoking a cigar. His raspy voice came booming through the booth “Ok ladies, be as loud as you want, always circle the mic and don’t break anything, ready?” The boys gave the man a thumbs up and Madison did as well then they began to play ‘In spite of all the danger’ followed by Buddy Holly’s ‘That’ll be the day’ Madison hummed along the whole time even took a picture every now and then. When the session was over the man told her “your boys aren't bad.” as he got up and went to make the record. 

“What did you think?” Paul asked Madison when she entered the booth.

“Eh, I guess you lot are alright.” Madison said with a smile. 

They hung around until the man came back with the record, he set it down on a table and stood back. Everyone gathered around the disk and just took in the sight of it. “What do you want to title it?”

John stood back and allowed the man in the huddle to bend over as he told him “In spite of all the danger by the Quarrymen, and that’ll be the day Paul McCartney and George Harrison.” 

“John I don’t think you can put our name on a Buddy Holly song.” Madison stood back to talk to John. 

“No you can they did the solo so they have it.” John insisted.

The man took the disk and slid it into a slip and handed it to John “You’re the lead, I figure. Here you go sunshine, now get out.” the man chuckled and slapped John on the shoulder.

When the last of the Quarrymen funneled out of the ‘recording studio’ John told them all that they needed to celebrate with some chips and then he asked Madison if she wanted to come.

“I need about an hour to clean everything so I’ll meet you guys there.” Madison hated this job and she was happy that she could finally quit now that the boys had their recording.

“I’ll wait,” Paul came up the step towards Madison with his guitar strapped over his shoulder. “Take one for the team, Y’ know.”

John chuckled and began to lead the group down the street “It’s the same shop we always go to McCgarmly!” John yelled over his shoulder.

“Thank god you stayed, I fucking hate walking on my own.”

“Don’t you worry,” Paul said as he fiddled with a piece of equipment “I’ll protect you.”

Maddie stopped what she was doing and turned to Paul “I can run faster than you.”

“So.”

Maddie resumed what she was doing “So, if We get into trouble I only have to run faster than you.”

Paul began to pluck his strings “You wouldn’t leave me Maddie, I’m the pretty one of the band, they’d kill you.” Paul chuckled and began to play his guitar.

When Madison had finished reseating everything she went over to Paul and took a cigarette from his pocket, almost as if it were a reflex Paul brought his lighter up to her. He watched her lips as she sucked in the nicotine, he couldn’t stop looking at her. “Thanks a bunch Paule;” Madison hadn’t noticed him looking “let’s go I’m starving.” Paul cleared his throat and stood up with his guitar following Madison out 

“You’re paying right?” Madison said to Paul as she locked the front door.

“No, your the one with a job.” Paul straightened up and lit a cigarette. 

“A job that you made me get, I did you a favor, you’re paying.” Madison began to walk down the street ahead of Paul. 

“I’m not bloody paying!” 

“Who ever gets there first doesn't have to pay!” Maddie yelled over her shoulder as she started to run.

Paul mumble to himself. “Shit, I’m paying.” and then began to run.

~

“There they are, the two love birds.” John greeted Paul and Madison as soon as they walked in.

“You’re such a master of hospitality.” Madison bowed as she walked over to the counter and began to order. Paul stumbled in behind her trying his hardest to catch his breath. 

“Lose a bet Paul?” John asked as he kicked his feet up onto the table. Paul couldn’t respond with anything but a nod, John stood up and walked towards the two “She can’t be that fast, maybe she was fast when she was running from me, but I didn’t have time to warm up.”

Paul straightened up “By all means go for it.” 

Madison sighed, annoyed at the fact that she didn’t finish ordering, and followed John out to the street in front of the chips shop as everyone gathered at the windows to watch.

Stuart, one of the band members, walked out and began an introduction to the race shouting loud enough for everyone on the street to hear. “Welcome to the great race, on one side of the street: she will seduce anyone of us and we all know it the ‘Quarrywommen’ Paul McCharmlys girl, Curly!!” Madison scuffed and readied herself.

“And on the other side the man who’s temper resembles much of my mother's, the sass with no class it’s John Lemmon! On my count ladies, three, two, one Go!”

Madison took off, she had gotten two steps in before John had even got one. It was a race to the lamp post, Madison’s Converse kicked up old rain water from the street as she gained ground and flew past the finish.

“Fuck!” John yelled as he laid down at the finish, his back flat on the ground, he was huffing the cold night air in and out of his lungs. “For christ sake!”

Madison turned to the shop expecting just to see Paul in the window but what she saw instead was the whole band with their mouths dropped. One of them had gotten up and walked out of the shop protesting. “No, no, no Lennon is just a bitch let me have a go.” One by one Madison out ran each member of the group over and over winning every time. 

When she thought she was done Paul walked out and got ready at the start “Paul my knee bloody hurts we all know I’ll beat you, so can we call it a day and can you order my very healthy dinner?”

“All I hear are excuses.” Madison sighed and got ready at the start, as fast as the race began, it ended. Once Madison began picking up speed her leg gave out and sent her tumbling to the ground. “For fuck sake!” John yelled as he got up and ran to Madison. “Curly are you alright?” 

Madison looked up and John and smiled “Yeah, just help me up.” John pulled Madison to her feet as she began to steady herself Paul came running back and grabbed a hold of her arm. 

“That was fowl play Paul.” John scolded Paul playfully and began to help Madison walk back into the shop. 

Madison sat at a booth and Paul asked what she wanted Paul then dragged his feet to the counter, he looked back at Maddie and pulled the biggest puppy dog face Madison had ever seen as he took out his money to pay. Madison frowned at him and then pulled her smug face, Paul brought the chips back to her and the band ate and talked until they were kicked out.

Madison began to noticeably limp when her and Paul were walking home. Paul knew Maddie wouldn’t allow him to help her if he offered so he snuck up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist supporting her as she walked.

“I beat you pretty bad didn’t I?” Paul smirked.

“Yeah, after I out ran the whole band twice.” 

“Fine I’ll give you some credit, but not a lot.”

Once the two had reached Paul’s house Paul let go of Madison and asked her if she was going to be okay to walk by herself. Madison shook her head yes and made it halfway down the road before she had to wave Paul over to her so he could help her stand.

“God You’re so needy.” Paul said as he brought her back to his house “My dad will let you stay over no problem, as long as he doesn’t see you.”

“Paul, my dad would literally kill me if I stayed out all night.”

Paul took a moment to think “Your mum likes me I’ll just go to the house and tell her.” 

“That’s such a stupid-“ before Madison was able to shoot down his plan Paul has already ran down the street.

When Paul returned he had a pair of pajamas and a toothbrush in his hand. “Your mom said it was alright and your dad was asleep.” 

“You twat! That was so idiotic of you, you could have gotten hurt!” Madison push herself up off of the curb and tried to fight Paul whilst balancing on one leg. Paul grabbed ahold of Madison’s waist unaffected by the punches she was throwing at him. Maddie gave up and allowed Paul to guided her in to the house.

He showed her where the bathroom was and waited in his room for her. When she got back Paul was sitting in his open window smoking Maddie limped to the window and took the lit cigarette from Paul’s mouth and began smoking it. Paul then stood and pulled himself up onto the roof 

“What the hell are you doing your gonna fall!” Madison said as she poked her head out of the window. 

“It’s cool, mum, I do this all the time.” He reached out a hand to Madison.

“You’re not pulling me up there.”

“Why, Don’t you trust me? And what’s the worst that can happen you already have one ‘broken’ leg.”

“Did you forget I have two legs? I want to be able to walk.”

“Just fucking grab my hand!” Paul reach down even further and clasped Madison’s wrists then pulled her up onto the roof.

“God I hate you.” Madison sighed.

“No you don’t.” Paul protested as he laid down and looked up at the stars. “God I hope we get famous.” 

Madison laid down beside him and tucked her hands behind her head. “What will you do if you don’t? Though, you lot are going to be famous if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I don’t know really,” Paul pulled another cigarette out of his shirt pocket and lit it. “I’d have to get a job I suppose.” Paul blew out his cigarette smoke towards the night sky, it mixed with the blacks and dark blues of the sky as it swirled around the stars.

“Are you gonna get married?” Madison lightly elbowed Paul’s side.

“Nope, no good marriage.” Paul crossed his arms over his chest.

“You say that now, but I bet you that you’ll find a girl one day who you‘ll want to spend the rest of your life with.” Madison looked at Paul.

Paul looked back at her “You’d be too jealous of her and I can’t bare to leave you alone for some silly girl. Besides I’ve already got a silly girl.” Paul looked back up at the sky and began to play with the smoke he exhaled. 

“Yeah I think like that too. I want to stay with you guys for the rest of my life. We’ll go on tour together and mess up hotel rooms together, until we’re 64.” Madison smiled.

~~~~~~~

Maddie had begun to drift off into sleep when Paul woke her and showed her the way to get back into his room. 

Paul tucked her in and put his cigarette out on the side of the house. Paul walked to the hall closet got a pillow and blanket and set up for him to sleep on the floor.

It was funny, the first girl that had ever slept in Paul’s room was Maddie and he was stuck sleeping on the ground. He didn’t think of Maddie as just another bird, she was important to him. It had been Madison and Paul for two years and now it was John Paul George and Madison, and Madison was right, none of them would have it any other way. 

Right as Paul began to closed his eyes he heard Maddie mumble something then he heard his covers being tossed around. 

Everything fell silent till Maddie’s sobbing began to fill the air Paul got up slowly and walked to Maddie he heard her mumble “Please don’t dad” just those three words were enough to send Paul’s heart into his throat. Maddie was dreaming of her dad and it scared her enough to make her cry.

Paul walked around to the other side of the bed and crawled under the covers. He laid there stiff as a board, he didn’t know why he got into the bed and now that he was there he didn’t know what was next. 

Maddie gasped as her eyes shot open, she had a white knuckle grip on the covers and she was breathing frantically. She turned to Paul and began to calm down “Paul?” She whispered. 

Paul squirmed “Um- er- sorry you were having a nightmare.”

Maddie turned her whole body towards Paul “Took you long enough to get up here. My bet was it would’ve taken you two minutes.”

Paul turned his body to Maddie “This is my bed.” Maddie smiled Paul relaxed and smiled back, he took hold of Maddie’s hand and began to run the pad of his thumbs over her knuckles “If he comes for you again, I’ll knock his teeth in.” Paul tucked one hand under his head and closed his eyes, still holding Maddie’s hand.

Maddie smiled and closed her eyes “g’night Paul.”

~~~~


	7. Half of what I say is meaningless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: violence  
> Death

Paul had woken up before Maddie so that it looked like he was off to school, when his dad left he snuck back into the house and up to his room. 

Paul stood and looked at Maddie; her brown curly hair drifted freely over the white pillow, her usually hard expression melted away with the presence of sleep. She was heavenly, Paul shifted on the wood floor causing it to creek he looked down while holding his breath hoping that Maddie hadn’t heard it. When Paul looked back up he saw Maddie’s gray eyes looking back at him she was smiling. “Is your dad gone?” She asked sitting up in bed. 

Paul’s eyes widened at the sight of Maddie’s bed head. “Bloody hell are you trying to give John more of a reason to call you curly?” 

“Paul, don’t make me come over there and knock you in the face.”

“I’d say that I would cripple you, but, it’s too late.” 

Maddie got up, grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom to change back into her day clothes as she passed Paul she playfully punched him. When Maddie got out of the bathroom she went down to the kitchen, Paul was there making beans on toast for her she sat at the table and waited.

Paul walked into the room with a plate and a flannel thrown over his arm, “Your fancy breakfast, is here.” Paul set the plate down in front of Maddie and pull a flower out of his back pocket.

“Wow! A fancy breakfast for a fancy person on this fancy day.” Madison mused as she put her pinkies in the air.

“I’ve never seen a fancy person sit like that.”

Maddie straightened up and crossed her legs, “Better Sir McCartney?”

Paul sat down across from her and said, “Only the best or go without.” in the best posh accent he could manage. Before Maddie could respond a loud banging came the front door which caused Maddie and Paul both to jump.

“Get down!” Paul pushed Maddie under the table and looked out the window.

“Who the fuck is that?” Maddie said as she got out from under the table and moved to Paul.

“I have no idea, but they don’t sound happy to see me.” Paul got up and moved to the door, Paul swung open the door quickly and reddy himself for the worst. 

John was standing on the doorstep; his eyes, red from crying and he looked like he had ran a marathon. “It’s John!” Paul said to Maddie, she came to the door and immediately knew that something was wrong.

“What is it John?” 

John looked at the two and began to frantically searched his pocket for a cigarette, Paul gave him one of his and John brought a liter to his mouth but his hands were shaking too much for him to light it. Maddie slowly brought her hands up to steady John’s, “John what the hell is wrong?” John looked up at them with his glassy eyes, he opened his mouth to speak but right at that moment his knees gave out. Maddie and Paul launch forward grabbing his arms to steady him.

“Fuck!” John spat and leaned his head on Paul’s shoulder “She’s gone, she’s gone!” 

Paul and Maddie looked at each other and began to sit John down on the ground. “Who’s gone?” Maddie asked not sure if John would blow up and punch her and Paul in the face. John pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his head on them and with a faint voice he said a name. 

Maddie’s world fell silent, she couldn’t hear anything, not the birds outside, not the sound of the wind flowing through the trees, not even the sound of John’s crying. Her lip quivered and her eyes began to drown in tears, she curled her hand around John’s neck and pressed her forehead to his ear.

It was Julia, she had been hit by a car whilst crossing the road to get to the bus stop.

John told Madison and Paul that she was leaving Mimi’s house when it happened and Nigel, one of John’s friends, had seen it happen. 

 

—————

The day they put Julia Lennon into the ground was a broken one, the sky’s wept, the fog wrapped itself around the crying ones in black.

A white converse splashed in a puddle as Maddie ran down the street to Paul’s house, she was late, her and Paul were supposed to leave for the funeral two minutes ago. 

“Paul!” Maddie yelled as she reached Paul’s house. 

Paul was sitting on the porch in his suit smoking “where the hell have you been?” 

“I- had- to- cover- up- my black eye.” Maddie attempted to catch her breath. She swallowed and stood straight up “Right, let’s go.” Maddie took off down the street towards the graveyard.

“Shit.” Paul sighed as he pushed himself up and ran after her.

———

Paul and Maddie arrived in the middle of the priests speech, they stayed towards the back. Nether had thought of bringing an umbrella, they became soaked from the pouring rain. They could see the casket and the light that reflected off of Julia’s hair but nothing else.

Maddie clinch her teeth as she tried her best not to show her emotions, Julias death hadn’t set in until now. Maddie thought about the first time she met Julia and how much she trusted her, Maddie could still feel Julia’s fingers running through her curly hair. Maddie’s mind began to tease her heart, she watched as a vision of Julia danced, how she did during the concerts, in front of her casket in a red dress. Then she dissolved into the air giving Maddie one last look. 

Tears began to escape from Maddie’s eyes, they blinded with the rainwater that dripped onto her cheeks. She sniffled and tried her best not to give into the graefe, then she felt Paul slip his hand into hers he weaved their fingers together and squeezed. Maddie had been in her head seance they got there, she hadn’t noticed the sadness that stained Paul’s face. She leaned her head against his shoulder, more for Paul’s comfort than her own. 

Once the funeral had ended Paul and Maddie walked hand in hand to Julia’s house for reception. 

The atmosphere of the house was suffocating, it was polluted by the grief of everyone in it. The mourners tried their best to comfort each other in one room while those who decided to bottle everything up seperated into another room. Paul and Maddie sat with all of the teddy boys in the ‘bottle it up’ room, they all sat staring at their hands that rested in their laps.

Paul sat next to Maddie and lazy twirled her hair. Maddie had been used to this by now, Paul played with her hair any time he felt anxious; before a show, after school, and during party’s (when he’s ready to go home) it’s such a subtle thing that no one ever notices she’s not even sure that Paul knew he did it.

By the time everyone had left the house John had made his way between Paul and Madison with Maddie’s hand in his. John hadn’t said a thing to either of them all he gave them was a painfully small smile and a deep sigh once he had settled between them. 

Then John finally did speak, and Maddie wish he hadn’t “Have you two been snogging?” John looked back and forth between the two.

“No.” They both replayed at the same time.

“Are you sure? Do you even know what it is?” John stood up in front of them, he had completely set aside what had just happened because it's the teddy boy way.

Maddie stood up and pressed herself against John, “No, so you should show me what it is.” 

As John leaned in to kiss her Maddie pushed him away and began to walk out the door a and down the street. John looked at Paul with a questioning face and raised his eyebrows, Paul stood up and began to walk in Maddie’s direction.

John frantically ran out of the house “What the fuck just happened mate?” John yelled to Paul.

“Check your pockets!” Paul yelled back over his shoulder. 

John began to check his pockets and noticed that his wallet was gone. He cursed and began to run after Maddie, knowing very well that he would never be able to catch her.

Maddie understood the way that John wanted to deal with Julia’s death, he didn’t want to deal with it, until the funeral. The whole day the three of them ran around town talking to friends and stealing vinyls. Once the clubs began to open the three of them began to go on a ‘club crawl’ they danced and drank till their heart's content, and then they danced and drank some more. 

John managed to pick up a girl in one of the clubs and he took her with him, the four of them walked to a park that was at the end of the block. John went off with the girl on his arm the two of them giggling and whispering in each others ears as they disappeared behind a tree. 

Maddie and Paul climbed into a tree, Paul took out a cigarette to share with Maddie. 

“So, John hu?” Paul began.

“Yeah, should we be worried about him? I mean he’s putting his mind through too much.”

“No, don’t worry he’s gone through this before, his uncle died a few years back.” Paul said as he climbed further up the tree and slid himself further down a branch letting his feet dangle off the side.

“Well yes but somehow I don’t think that grief alcohol and sex pair well.” Madison said as she pulled herself up onto the branch and sat next to Paul. 

“How are you doing? You were closer to her than me Y’know.” Paul said as he scratched the corner of his mouth with his thumb.

“I’m in shock still, all I keep thinking to myself is that it's not real and I expect to see her at your next concert.” Maddie averted her eyes from Paul knowing quite well that she was about to cry. 

Paul scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rested his chin on top of her head. They sat in comfortable silence from some time till Maddie started up a conversation.

“Paul?”

“What?”

“Why have you been so nice to me? I mean you are always nice to me, because you know that if you weren’t I’d punch you.” Maddie chuckled and playfully punched Paul then settled back onto his chest “But you have been so wonderful to me and I don’t get why.”

Paul paused for a moment, he feared that Maddie might be able to hear his heart speed up. “Well, you know, you’re my best friend.”

“We’ve been best friends for a long time and you have been incredibly nice to me for the past three days, so try again.”

Paul shuffled he didn’t understand it himself, ever since they held hands while walking down the street that one night he felt like he never wanted to let her go. And then the conversation on the rooftop, and the way she looked in his bed.

Maddie sat up and watch him as she waited for an answer. Paul looked into her almost gray eyes, he didn’t know, so he was just going to tell it how it was. 

“Well I don’t know, you know.” Paul brushed back his hair and rubbed the back of his neck, when he looked back up at Maddie she had a grin on her face. “What?” Paul laughed nervously “Wipe the bloody grin off of your face soldier you’re in the army now.” Paul said as he punched Maddie’s arm.

“Io!” Maddie gripped the tree limb to steady herself, “Are you mad man?” Maddie punched back as she pointed out how far they were from the ground.

“Get off!” Paul said as they both began to try and punch each other off. “I’ll bloody cripple ya!” 

Maddie stood back and held her hand over her heart in an exaggerated sigh she looked to Paul and said “I can’t do it no more,”

Paul began to play along “Don’t do it, What can’t you do no more?”

“The Rock and roll! Ever since I lost my limbs all I can do now is roll.”

As soon as Maddie said those words Paul stood up and dropped the act, he walked over to Maddie and with an unamused expression he said “You deserve this, you bad joke telling American.” He placed his hands on her four head and pushed her off of the branch.

As she fell Maddie’s heart dropped, she wasn’t actually going to jump. She tried to grab a hold of Paul but it was too late she was already falling. She screamed and expected to hit the ground, but she didn’t, someone had caught her. 

Maddie opened her eyes and stopped screaming, John’s face was looking down at her with a big grin. Maddie jumped out of his arms and began to wrestle him to the ground. “You’ll give me a bloody heart attack! What the hell?” Paul hopped down from the tree and fell to the ground laughing. “You think it’s funny? Fuck you McCharmly!” Maddie ran at Paul and began to punch him, he could hardly fight back because he was weakened with laughter. 

Paul and John collapsed to the ground in laughter as Maddie yelled at both of them. Maddie finished her rant with a sigh calling them pricks under her breath.

Once John and Paul had finished their laughing fit Maddie laid on the ground with her head twords theirs looking up at the night sky. Maddie loved to look up at the stars in Liverpool, she was convinced that Liverpool had better sky’s than America.

The three laid there in silence, which was very uncommon considering who they were. Paul was the first to break the silence.

“My mum fought me about the stars when I was small.”

“That’s a bit sappy Paul.” John received a punch from Maddie for the remark.

“Our mum’s died really close to eachother, were the lad’s of the dead mum’s club.” Paul chuckled.

“What about curly? She can’t be in the club because her mum’s still kicking. What do we do with her?” John let out a playful laugh.

“My dad i-“ Maddie stopped herself. 

She could make a joke about it no matter how hard she tried. She didn’t understand how Paul and John could laugh about such horrible things, but it was the Liverpool way.

“Ah, she has to deal with us so she has about the same amount of trauma.” Paul saved Maddie from having to actually say something, he reached out his hand to Maddie’s and wrapped a finger around her’s.

“My mum was off her head.” John replied.

“I don’t know I quite liked her, she was fun not like your aunt Mimi.” Paul joked.

“Oi, aunt Mimi is… yeah she is a bit mean isnt she.” 

Maddie looked at the top of John’s head “I have never met her.”

“And you never will.” John sat up brushing off the grass from his jacket.

“What how come?” Maddie sat up as well, releasing Paul’s finger from her own. 

“You’re a girl, and Mimi is a posh old lady.”

“Old ladies love me. I have a quiet presence.”

“Curly, I’d be bringing home a girl.” 

“What does she think you’re a homosexual?” Maddie fell back in laughter as John gave her a good punch on the arm.

“It’s getting late. Should we call this meeting to an end?” Paul said as he stood up and dusted himself off. Then he reached out both of his hands to John and Maddie which both of them took the gesture at the same time and with one pull Paul got both of them on their feet. “And we’re off.”

As they walked down the streets of Liverpool John would knock on someone’s front door every now and then causing all three of them to go shooting down the street out of sight. 

Somehow the conversation drifted to Maddie betting the boys she could hold one of them on her shoulders, which both of them didn’t believe. They found a high wall and John lowered himself onto Maddie’s shoulders, though wobbly at first, Maddie walked with John in her shoulders for two blocks until John got tired of being hit in the face by the trees that Maddie walked under. 

“Lemme try.” Paul said and without missing a beat Paul charged towards Maddie, Paul lowered his head just enough to go between Maddie’s legs and popped up. 

Before Maddie knew what Paul had said she was on his shoulders with him running down the street. She screamed and began to laugh, John came running up from behind Paul with the most confused expression Maddie had ever seen.

“Fucking hell paul! How did you manage that shit?!” 

Paul turned behind him and began to walk backwards Maddie resisted by kicking her feet as if she could somehow swim through the air her gesture was ineffective. Paul laughed “I don’t know I’ve never done that before.”

Maddie kicked him “Fuck you! I could’ve died!”

Paul began to skip “Yeah you could have but you didn’t.”

The whole rest of the way they sang their songs at the top of their lungs, John circled them with his hands in his coat pocket throwing in a small slide every now and then as if he was on stage. Paul wasn’t able to move much but he didn’t pat Maddie’s legs in rhythm with the songs. Maddie was the main attraction, so to speak, she was the loudest out of the three yelling the songs in triumphant glory. She reached down and patted the beat against Paul’s cheeks and her hair blew in the cold Liverpool wind.

By the time they had gotten to John’s house every single song had been sand at least three times. The three of them had never been out this late together Maddie wished that she lived in a house with John and Paul. It was extremely evident that they had grown in each other pockets.

John turned to Paul and held up a finger “Hold on I need to get some pants.”

“For what?” Paul questioned as he lowered himself so Maddie could get off.

“I’m gonna stay at your house. I’m sure your dad won’t mind.” 

Before Paul could answer John had disappeared into his house. He came out seconds later with a bottle of wine and an extra pair of pants thrown over his shoulder.

“Right O’ boy’s.” John pulled the cork of the wine bottle out with his teeth and took a big swig of it then began to walk towards Paul’s house with Maddie and Paul following behind. 

By the time John had gotten to Paul’s house the wine bottle was half empty and he had smoked four cigarettes. 

Maddie had never seen someone drink and smoke so much, besides her father. She knew better, she knew that John wouldn’t hurt her, if John’s protectiveness wasn’t proof enough to set Maddie at ease she knew that Paul wouldn’t let him touch her.

John stumbled into the house and whispered a long and drunk “HelllllLoOOo?” Maddie and Paul shushed him which made John bring a finger up to his own lips and shush himself as well. Maddie chuckled, which John responded with a smile and a wink. Maddie began to push John up the stairs to Paul’s room, while, Paul went to his father’s room to check if he was asleep. 

He was.

Once Maddie closed Paul’s bedroom door she turned to John handing her the bottle of wine once she took it he began to unbutton his shirt and clumsily ripped it off.

“I’m gonna need that curly.” John pointed to the wine bottle and took it from her with a smile. He flopped down onto his stomach in John’s bed then he rolled over onto his back. John took another mouth full of alcohol and let it linger there before swallowing.

When Paul stepped into the room John shot up out of his bed and covered himself up with the over shirt he discarded, he curled the bottle of wine close to him and stood as if he was a woman who had just been caught changing.

Maddie leaned into Paul’s ear and whispered “I thought he could hold his drink.”

“He started drinking long before he came to us didn’t you smell his breath? I guess he was acting sober until this bottle” Paul shrugged and walked over to his drawer. He pulled out two pairs of boxers and two undershirts he handed a set to Maddie for her to change into.

Once Maddie had gotten changed and into the light blue boxers and white undershirt she came back to the room John was sleeping in the bed with the covers pulled over his shoulders. Paul didn’t have a shirt on he was leaning out of his window smoking. 

Maddie walked over to John and took the almost empty bottle from his arms then set it on the nightstand.

“He’s had a bloody awful day.” Maddie said as she stood next to Paul with her elbows propped against the windowpane.

“Yeah.” Paul said as he sucked in as much air as he could fill his lungs with, he handed the cigarette off to Maddie and turned so his back was facing the open window, he leaned back and watched John. “I’m not too sure what he’s thinking.” 

“He’s probably dreaming of a bird.” Maddie chuckled out the smoke from her lungs.

“Yeah.” Paul sighed unsatisfied with Maddie’s response.

Maddie handed the cigarette over to Paul and patted his cheek. She looked up at him with her sleep heavy eyes and gave him a smile. “Paul, he’ll be fine.” She began to walk to the other side of the bed from John and Paul “Plus lets not forget who he is, he’s John bloody Lennon the king of teddy boys!” She tucked herself underneath the covers and shuffled until she was comfortable. “Goodnight Paulie.” 

Paul smiled and looked back out of the window. He finished his cigarette and walked over to the wooden chair that sat in the corner of his room. His guitar leaned up against it, she smiled as he picked her up and began to play her.

————

Maddie woke to an empty bed, sleep fogged her mind, she knew someone had been with her when she fell asleep but couldn’t remember who. She propped herself up onto her elbows and looked around.

The room was dark, the only light she had was that of the moonlight flowing through the window. Paul was sitting in the corner of his room slumped in his chair. Sleeping. Maddie smiled and turned towards the window, John was sitting in the open window with his legs hanging out.

She didn’t have a clue as to what he was doing, she turned and waited for him to do something he just swayed drunkenly.

“John?” Maddie whispered “What the fuck are you doing?”

John turned towards Maddie and winked then he pushed his body forward and fell from the window. Maddie jumped to her feet trying her best not to scream and wake Paul’s dad she ran over to Paul and shook him awake. 

“He jumped Paul! Oh fuck! I watched him!” 

Paul shot up and ran to the window he scanned the grass frantically looking for John, but he didn’t see anyone. “Shit he’s gone.” Paul ran out of his room grabbed his jacket and ran out the front door. Maddie followed him.

“We need to split.” Maddie told Paul but he was already a step ahead of her. Paul had disappeared down the road.

——-

Maddie had been searching for an hour before she ended up at a popular hang out at the loading docks. She found John sitting on the edge of an empty dock, he was holding a beer in his hand.

Maddie sighed in relief she walked over to John and sat next to him, he was watching his feet as they moved back and forth. Maddie didn’t know what to say or let alone what to do so she just sat there and played with the rings on her hands.

Eventually, she spoke softly “John? What are you doing here?” John didn’t give her so much as a twitch.

“Where the hell did you get a beer this late?” Still no response.

“John?” She pressed. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through- well in a way, I know what your going through I lost my-.” Her sentence was choked by the sudden motion of her being pulled up by the collar of her jacket.

“Don’t even fucking say it!” John warned her through his clenched teeth. He threw Maddie up against the brick wall of the building that supplied the docks. “You don’t know! screw you! You haven’t got a clue what it’s like!” He spat in her face as the words came flying out.

Maddie didn’t react, she froze she didn’t shut her eyes, she didn’t turn her head. All that happened was her eyes widened in fear. 

“What do you know?!” John’s fist connected with her ribs Maddie doubled over. But before John could get another swing in Paul turned up.

“Hey!” He screamed and shot towards John, Paul’s body connected with John’s which sent them both crashing to the ground. Paul shot up on his knees straddling John’s hips then Paul’s hands began to fly. His fists connected with John’s; face, neck, cheek, head and jaw until Maddie pulled him off of John’s unconscious body. 

“Fuck you!” Paul screamed at the top of his lungs at John, spit flew from Paul’s mouth as his body shook with rage. 

“It’s alright Paul! Hey.” Maddie grabbed Paul’s face and turned it towards hers “look at me.” 

Paul’s eyes were filled with tears and rage as he brought his bloody knuckles to Maddie’s face, he breathed heavily as he examined her. 

“I’m okay, Paul! I’m ok.” Maddie assured Paul.

As soon as Paul confirmed that she was alright he turned back to John and slumped into Maddie’s body. Maddie caught him and lowered him and herself to the ground with her back against the wall. Paul’s chest heaved as he curled into Maddie’s arms, he tucked his face away and tried his hardest to calm down.

Maddie couldn’t quite understand why Paul had reacted the way he did. She understood him tackling John and giving him a couple smacks but it was the fact that John had been knocked unconscious and the fact that Paul would have still been beating him if she hadn’t pulled him off. He would have killed John, but for what, for what reason? Paul knows she could take a punch from a man. He knows that she had fought boys in the street may times. So why did he think she couldn’t handle John?

Paul shot up off the ground unexpectedly he walked over to John laying on the cement and stood over him, watching him in silence. 

Maddie wasn’t too sure if she needed to get up and stop Paul, he wasn’t doing any harm. She stayed where she was and waited for something to happen, it wasn’t clear as to what should happen but Paul was waiting too so she did as well.

Then, John quickly sat up, a loud gasp came from him as he took in as much air as possible. Maddie jumped but stayed where she was, it seemed to her that Paul knew exactly what was going to happen. John looked around unable to comprehend what had happened, Paul didn’t give him time to process he immediately stuck out his hand to John and pulled him up to his feet. 

John’s mouth hung open in awe as he looked at Paul then John snapped back to reality.

“Fuck!” John yelled and brought his face to his hands. “My face bloody hurts!” John’s face snapped upwards towards Paul. “What the hell did I do?”

Paul said nothing, he just started to walk back to his house. John followed, unaware that Maddie what there with them. 

Maddie didn’t follow them she took another route to Paul’s house, she imagined that Paul needed time with John. 

Paul and John weren’t at the house when she arrived so she climbed up the pipe, next to Paul’s window, in case Paul’s dad had been awake for some reason. She didn’t know what to do with herself when she got settled into Paul’s room, too much had happened for her to go to sleep, and she didn’t want to go through Paul’s just to find something to do. 

Maddie stood in the middle of Paul’s room looking at every detail of it. The room was nothing special blue wallpaper wrapped the walls it clashed with the carpet which was made of dark wood, there was one bed with a nightstand next to a wardrobe there was a desk pushed against the wall in front of the bead. The thing that caught Maddie’s eye was the care that Paul had been sleeping on, it had a guitar propped up against it. Maddie had learned how to play from watching the band practices, though she had never played a guitar in her life.

Just as she walked over to grab the guitar Paul’s bedroom door opened. Maddie panicked she slid against the wall so the door opened on her, allowing her to be hidden by it. 

“Paul?” It was a man’s voice. “Where did you go?” The voice mumbled then stepped into the room.

Maddie held her breath and she heard the footsteps rome the room, it was Paul’s dad. Maddie could only see the corner where the guitar sat she watched the corner in fear of being caught. Then Paul’s dad walked into her view, he picked up the guitar and strummed it before putting back, if he turned his head a little to the left he would see her. 

Just as Paul’s dad began to turn left to leave the bathroom door opened and Paul came out yawning causing his dad to turn faster, his vision blended Maddie into the shadow of the door.

“Dad?” Paul steppes into his room as he dad stepped out.

“I was just coming to say goodbye.” 

“Oh, I was in the toilet. But see ya.” Paul waved his father down the stairs and out the door.

Once Maddie had heard to start of an engine outside she let out a sigh of relief and came out from behind the door. 

“Shit.” She laughed and peered out of Paul’s room and down the stairs that Paul was climbing.

“You were here? Bloody hell, why didn’t you tell me you weren't following us, I didn’t tell you my dad was gonna leave early. Where did you hide?” Paul stopped in front of Maddie. 

“Behind the door.” Maddie answered.

“You’re dead funny.” Paul chuckled. He walked passed Maddie and into his room and flopped down on his bed. 

Maddie followed him and threw herself beside him on the bed. “So I take it John went home?” Maddie assumed because John hadn’t been with Paul when he came out. 

“No. He’s just gone for an piss.” Paul said tucking his hands behind his head.

Maddie wanted to ask about the walk, she couldn't even begin to imagine how it went. What did they talk about? The fight, or did they not even mention it? She decided some things were better left between two people.

The sound of the toilet flushing pulled Maddie out of her daydream John walked from the bathroom to the bedroom holding a bloody flannel to his lip. Once John stepped foot in the room Maddie quietly gasped. It was the first time she saw the damage that Paul had caused.

John’s eye had swelled shut a split eyebrow dripped above it, John pulled the flannel away from his lip to catch the blood from his eyebrow revealing a swollen bloody lip. 

John responded to Maddie’s gasp “Tell me about it, curly. Our little paulie has a hell of a hook.” John didn’t look small when he talked, infact, he looked rather proud as if his injuries were a joke.

Paul noticed the confusion in Maddie’s face “He’s still pissed.” He explained.

Maddie rolled her eyes and walked over to the guitar that lay in the corner. John took her place on the bed falling asleep as soon as his head hit the bed. Maddie picked up the guitar and strummed out the cords she remembered seeing.

“You know how to play?” Paul asked as he sat on the ground leaning back against the wall by the corner.

“God no,” Maddie laughed as she sat next to Paul “but I’ve watched enough of your playing to pick up a few cords.” 

“Here lemme see.” 

Maddie carefully passed the instrument over to Paul and watched as his fingers glided up and down the neck. She rested her head back against the wall and listened to Paul’s soft voice, the sweetness made Maddie’s eyes tired, her head fell onto Paul’s shoulder which caused him to smile.

Paul played one more song to her before he rested his head on Maddie’s and fell asleep. 

Paul woke to a smack on the forehead which John to crudely gifted him. “Get up love birds.” Paul nudged Maddie to save her from being woken up by John. 

“Hum? What?” Maddie shot forward and looked around frantically as if she woke to the house on fire.

“It’s the year 2000.” John teased

“Piss off lemmon.” Maddie said as got up and walked to the bathroom to try and tame her curly hair.

Once Maddie had finished and Paul had brushed his teeth, they were pushed out of the house by John only giving them enough time to grab their coats.

“Oi!” Maddie stumbled out of the house, “What the hell are you on about Lemmon?” 

“What time is it.” Paul said pulling out a comb from his pocket and pushing back his hair.

“I don’t know somewhere, let’s go to Strawberry Fields.” 

“You’re fucking annoying.” Maddie said as she pushed John, her eyes still heavy with sleep. The sleep melted from her face once she saw John’s face. “Holy shit John.” This was the first time Maddie was actually getting a good look at him that morning. 

“I know Paul gave me a nice makeover, hum?” John tried to push past Maddie’s enevable discussion on the state of his face.

Maddie caught the hint she just touched his cheek and moved on, which caught John and Paul by surprise. 

“What that’s it?” Paul questioned Maddie as she began to walk towards strawberry Fields.

“No; fuck you Paul or John Lennon I’m disappointed?” John added to Paul’s question.

Maddie replied with a simple “Nope.” but the fact of the matter is that she was thinking all those things and then some. She figured it would cause them to be confused about it for the whole day so she kept to herself, just to mess with them.

Once the three had made it to Strawberry Fields they stayed there the whole day climbing the trees and laying on the grass. At some point, Paul had fallen asleep in one of the trees naturally Maddie and John pushed him off. Once it had gotten dark they all went their separate ways; John went to Mimi’s house, Maddie went back to her own house, Paul followed her and dropped her off, then went to his own house.


	8. She’s leaving home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Paul run off with a girl

~One year~

“Fucking Hamburg?!?!?” Maddie took a swing at Paul,who then dogged it.

“Wow you were right you didn’t get mad at all.” Paul said as he dusted off his jacket, feeling quite proud of his slickness.

“I didn’t expect the thing you needed to get off you’re chest was that you were going to leave me for Germany!!!” 

Maddie and Paul had been out all day, it started with Maddie coming over to Paul’s house for a morning smoke. They went to visit John at art school then all three of them went to band practice. Quarrymen had been filed down to just Paul, John, George and the new drummer Pete Best, Maddie didn’t mind it because band practice was just at Paul’s house and the Cavern Club. When practice was over pete went home while Paul Maddie and John went out drinking, they ended up at the back of the cavern club and that’s when Paul and John decided to tell Maddie the future that belonged to Germany. 

“Maddie,” Paul chuckled as he grabbed Maddie’s wrists to prevent a further assault “we need to follow the rock scene.”

Maddie mocked Paul and pushed him away then she turned towards John, who was smoking silently in the corner hoping to wait out Maddie’s inevitable wrath, “Are you the one who put this into his head?” 

“Yeah whispered right in his pretty ear.” John stood straight up excepting that if Maddie was going to yell at him, which she was, he would at least get a few remarks in. “What does it matter?”

“What does it matter!?” Maddie looked at Paul with her eyebrows raised in a sarcastic surprise.  
When Maddie turned back to John and unholy string of insults flowed out of her mouth. As Maddie got more and more worked up the reason to her harshness came out. 

“You’re going to leave me?” She was screaming at Paul and John now “leave me behind with; no one, with my mother, with my fucking father!” The thought of them leaving her alone with her father made her throat tighten and caused tears to form. “You can’t do that! You’re my mates.” She grew desperate “I know you gits didn’t think about me, because you shouldn’t but please don’t leave me alone.”

Paul and John’s cheeks were red, both of their hearts sat in their stomachs. Paul launched forward and wrapped Maddie in his arms, she kept her arms by her sides and cried.

John stood there processing what Maddie had just said while Paul comforted Maddie. He watched as Paul talked to Maddie, calming her down, their conversation ended with a nod from Maddie and a kiss on the bridge of her nose from Paul.

“Come with us.” John blurted out. “You can be our groupie, I need you to keep me from getting into trouble and Paul can’t live without you.”

“I don’t have money.” Maddie said

John laughed “We don’t either.” 

———-

Maddie's dad had been following her all morning while she packed, he screamed at her objecting to her leaving and call her ungodly things. A knock on the door drew him away from her.

“Yes, Yes what is it?” He said as he swung open the front door. His teeth clenched when his eyes settled upon a teenage boy standing in the doorway. “Well who the hell are you?”

“Paul McCartney, sir.” Paul held out his hand which was met with a quick gaze and nothing more.

“Umm… is Maddie ready?” Paul asked shyly.

“Oh you, the piece of shit she’s been packing for.” The man straightened up so he was towering over Paul. “What the hell do you plan on doing with my-“ 

He was interrupted by a boy in a black leather jacket pushing him into the side of the door as he barged in.

“Who the fuck?” 

Maddie's dad chased the boy up the stairs shouting at him to get out of his house. At one point he caught the boys jacket sleeve but his hand was swatted away.

The boy charged into Maddie’s room grabbed her case and her hand then stomped down the stairs and out the front door, grabbing a sandwich that was sitting on the dining room table on their way out.

Maddie's dad followed them out and stood in front of the door screaming at the boy and ordering Maddie to come back inside. 

Maddie was passed off with her case and the sandwich to Paul, the boy turned around and walked straight up to the man.

“John!” Paul shouted as he watched the boy, John, pull back his fist then drive it forward into the man's chin.

“Find a new punching bag.” John turned around and retrieved the sandwich from Paul then began walking to the car that would take them to the airport. 

Paul grabbed Maddie's hand and quickly followed.


	9. Day tripper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Berlin is another planet

Hamburger was hell maddie lived in a room across the hall, more of a human sized tunnel, from the boy’s in an old cinema. At the club they worked at Maddie was a waitress and the boys were the entertainment. The boys had a small room that all five of them shared they hardly ever slept, though. 

The boys were overworked in Maddies eyes, anytime she would complain about their mistreatment they would say it was their fault. They took caffeine pills in order to stay awake long enough to play all their sets. By the end of it they would slump in a chair, have their last drink of the night then pass out in their room using a Union flag as a blanket.

They became friends with a photographer who wanted to photograph them. All five of us became thick as thieves. We would socialize in her flat until we had to go to work. Stuart Sutcliffe fell in love with the photographer, Astrid. He would go on rants about how she was the love of his life and that he was going to marry her. We always asked why he doesn’t just get it over with and he would tell us he hadn’t found the right ring. 

The Beatles began to get noticed, they found a better club to play at, the Top Ten club, I was even offered a job there because Paul and John refused to leave me. Bruno Koschmider was told they were leaving and he didn’t take it well, he was going to destroy The Beatles before they got to leave. 

—-

“Astrid just dropped George off at the station!”

John came strolling into his and Stuart’s flat with his arms stretched out in defeat. 

Stuart, Paul and Maddie had been anxiously waiting for news from John who had been waiting downstairs at a payphone for a call from George at the train station. 

“Well what the hell do we do now?” Paul knew the answer to his question but needed confirmation from the other members.

“The show must go on Paulie.” John said opening a beer. “You two will move into the attic of top ten anyways so we won’t have to deal with that bastard Bruno for much longer.” 

“Oh god what a loss.” Paul teased as he threw his head onto Maddie’s lap. 

A week later Germany would no longer host The Beatles.

Maddie’s feet slapped the pavement as she ran from the Cinema they called home to John’s flat. Paul and Pete had just been arrested as they were moving out. Maddie had been there to help with the move, only arriving just in time to see the two boys get arrested. She screamed and fought the police only to give up when Paul told her “Stop fighting they’ll deport you! run!” Maddie didn’t know where to go so she went to the last two Beatles left in Hamburg.

“John! Fuck!” Maddie barged into the flat interrupting the session that John was having with a German chick.

“What the bloody-?”

“They got them! John Paul and Pete, they’ve been arrested!” Maddie’s chest heaved as she used the door frame to hold herself up.

John zipped up his pants and shoved the bird out of the flat before he sat maddie onto a chair nearby. Maddie’s eyes began to fill with tears as she struggled to make words of her emotions.

“John I tried- I couldn’t- I tried to fight them off… but Paul told me to- .” 

John had gone to the kitchen to get Maddie a beer “Okay, calm down curly. We’ll get a call from them sometime, no need to stress.”

“How the fuck do you know?”

“Paul’s pretty face can get him out of anything, I’d put a tenner on it.” John opened a beer for himself and sat on the couch across from Maddie “listen curly you know the best way to relieve stress?”

“Violence.”

John chuckled “yes. But most people are more reasonable than me and you, so they get pissed.”

“Are you sure that Paul will be fine?”

“Yes.”

“And you think this is a good idea.”

“Yes”

“Oh the great and powerful Lennon has spoken.” 

“That’s right now let's have a drink for Paul.”

“For Paul” maddie knew that drinking was not a good idea but she didn’t want to show John any weakness so once her hands began to shake from fear she began to drink for an excuse.

Her and John made their way through every bottle of liquor in the entire flat all the while telling each other stories of Berlin.

“So basically, you have been with random birds this entire time.” Maddie chuckled as she shifted on the floor.

“Yes I have, you know Paul isn’t the only one who gets the lady’s.” John turned onto his side and propped his head up so he was facing Maddie.

“Yes I do know that.” Maddie lazily shook her head yes and rolled into John. “Because George is pretty too.” She smiled and flipped herself onto her back with her arms spread.

“You know, your lips should stop moving.” John used two fingers to clamp Maddies lips closed. “That’s better.” John smiled and released her then he propped himself up onto his elbows on either side of Maddie’s head. “I always liked your lips.” John said as he lightly traced her lips he placed each thumb in the middle of Maddie’s lips and glided them past the corners of her mouth and ended when they got to either ear which he then adjusted so he was holding her head.

Maddie froze and immediately became sober. “John.”

John smiled at Maddie with half lidded eyes and he felt sober. He knew what he was doing, he was doing something he’s been wanting to do for a long time. 

He let out a low rumble “Humm?” 

Maddie brought her hands up to cup John’s cheeks, John responded quickly by lowering his head and meeting Maddie’s halfway in between.

John moved his hands to Maddie’s waist and pulled her into him. Maddie responded by wrapping her arms around his back. John left Maddie’s mouth and began to kiss along her jawline. “John should we be doing this?” 

John answered “I’m drunk so you should decide and get back to me.” Then immediately dropped to Maddie’s neck. 

“I am too.” Maddie answered as she brought John back up to her lips. 

John wrapped Maddie’s legs around his waist, stood up and carried her to the couch and sat down. Maddie straddled John’s lap then put her hands on his chest and pushed him back, she gave him one more deep kiss then pushed herself off of him. 

John sat stunned at what just happened to him, as well as confused as to why it had stopped. 

“That’s enough fun for now.”

“Oh come one that can’t be legal.” John said as he sat up.

“Nothing we do is legal.” Maddie said as she sat down in a chair opposite the sofa

Maddie chuckled, John walked over and picked Maddie up then sat on the sofa chair with Her legs across his lap all the while Maddie lazily protested.

“I can’t believe Berlin has thrown out the world's greatest band.” 

 

“Buddy Holly was here?” John joked.

They both sat in silence as they waited for a call from Paul. Maddie had fallen asleep on John’s chest when the phone range he reached over and answered it, it was Paul, their conversation was surprisingly brief and underwhelming, nothing but a few exchanges of what had happened and what needed to be done then Paul hung up the phone. 

Maddie woke to John playing with her curly hair, sticking his finger through the ringlets, he looked down and smiled at her. She sighed then snuggled into his chest, “Sorry I interrupted you last night.”

“Oh, no, that bird had no idea what she was doing anyways, I would have been frustrated all night. You’re better than any bird, even if you’re boring.” John said, ending his complement with a kiss on Maddie’s head which caused her to look up at him.

“G-thanks Lemmon, I will always prefer your company second to Paul’s.” 

“Slow down curly if you keep talking like that people will think we’re married.”

“You wish Johnny boy.”

“Pity me my girl.” 

“You're a terrible chair.” 

The tip of John’s nose brushed Maddie’s and their eyes locked. 

Maddie tried to whisper an excuse to get out of this situation but couldn’t find one, she didn’t really want one. The pad of John’s thumb brushed over Maddie’s soft cheek and his lips hovered above hers. John wanted Maddie to lean in and confirm that this wasn’t just his mind, so he waited there millimeters apart from what he wanted. 

This girl was the first girl John ever wanted, not for sex not for looks but because she was mysterious, frightening, wild and just everything he ever needed. It was odd, John knew Maddie was meant to end up with Paul, but he wanted everything to change that, and he could if she decided to just lean forward. 

“Maddie.” John whispered, his lips brushing against her’s. Both of their half lidded gazes deepened as Maddie finally nudged forward into John’s lips. But before John’s hand could make it behind Maddie’s ear she pulled back.

“I’m meant to be with Paul.” She said with her eyes still filled with lust. 

“But you’re not his.” John said as worry began to consume him.

Maddie rested her hand on the back of John’s neck “John, we are confused and scared. I shouldn’t have done this, I love you, but it’s Paul.” 

“Curly please.” John wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her, he moved his hand up to her ear in a desperate attempt to make her feel something.

Maddie was not persuaded she gave John a reassuring smile and got up from John’s lap “Stand up lemon.”

John stood up, his shoulders felt heavy with defeat, Maddie buried herself in his arms. “Why couldn’t you have found me sooner?”

“I’m just always late.” John said, squishing his cheek into the top of Maddie’s head, never wanting to let go.

————

“Paul?”

“Hello?”

“Paul it’s Madison.”

“Hello Maddie! What time are you going to get here?”

“Hard to say 3:30pm?”

“What an American,”

“Oi!”

“There we go. Okay I’ll be here waiting, hurry up and come home. I'm absolutely starving.”

“Fuck off, bye.”


End file.
